20 Offbeat Destinations in India – Unique Collection of Places

India is a land of charms, beauty, mystery and sophistication. The beauty of the land is blended everywhere and not just in iconic attractions. Yes, Taj Mahal, backwaters of Kerala, monasteries of Ladakh and statues of Mahabalipuram are the icons of Indian tourism. These are not the only destinations, which can add flavors to your vacation.

If you are looking for real experience, it is time to choose the less-traveled road and find hidden gems in the nature. With increase in pollution, even locals are looking for offbeat destinations to stay away from pollutants, especially during festival times.

1. Khajjiar

In the laid-back region of Himachal Pradesh, Khajjiar is a romantic getaway spot. This region is called as the mini-Switzerland. The region is small and does not hold many adventure activities. This is the main reason for this hill station to be overlooked by tourists. You can find simple sports like horse riding, paragliding and others. At the core, the region is all about natural beauty with meadows, hills, lakes and much more.If you are visiting in winter, you can enjoy a snow vacation. Choose summer for a honeymoon stay with wild flowers, lush vegetation and so on.

Right time to visit Khajjiar

March to October is the right time to visit this hill station

How to reach Khajjiar from Delhi?

From Delhi, you can find frequent flight to Jammu. From Jammu, you can choose rail or road transportation to reach Khajjiar. The nearest railway station is located in Pathankot. Beyond Pathankot, the distance should be covered by car or bus.

2. Kalimpong

West Bengal is a lot more than just Durga Pooja. This is one of the important tourist destinations in North-East India. Kalimpong is an offbeat hill station, which is a perfect getaway from the hustle of digital world. You will be covered with blissful blanket of mountains and get a great view of Himalayas. You can find lush valleys, unique birds, columns of pine trees and most importantly, the serenity of a Narnia paradise.

Kalimpong West Bengal

Right time to visit Kalimpong

How to reach Kalimpong from Delhi?

The nearest airport to Kalimpong is located in Bagdogra. Fly to Bagdogra from Delhi and then choose rail or road route to reach Kalimpong. If you are choosing rail route from Delhi, the nearest railway station is located in New Jalpaiguri.

3. Lonar Crater

Are you a fan of science fiction? Do you want to visit the spot where meteorite hit the earth around 50,000 years ago, causing changes to the environment? Well, you need to reach Buldana of Maharashtra. The crater formed by the meteorite strike is now a saline lake. This unique environment makes it a home to many interesting animals and unique backdrops. Starting from the rock formations to the wildlife species in this region, every part of it is unique. India is filled with numerous unique wildlife beauties.

Lonar Crater

If you are ready to cover a few, choose from our themed packages like:

Right time to visit Lonar Crater

To make it easier for travel and sightseeing, it is better to stick with winter season, which starts in November and ends in March.

How to reach Lonar Crater from Delhi?

From Delhi, you can find frequent flights to Aurangabad. The lake is around 122 km away from Aurangabad. You can hire either cab or bus to reach the lake from the airport. If you are choosing rail transportation, the nearest railway station is just 90 km away at Jalna.

4. Majuli

Assam is an exotic destination and among the green paradises of Assam, this large river island is a notable one. This is the world’s largest river island and you ought to visit this unique destination at least once during your vacation. On the banks of Brahmaputra River, this island stands as a heritage site. Visit the island for a festive vacation with cultural activities, mesmerizing natural beauty and unique cuisine.

Majuli Island Assam

Right time to visit Majuli

The land is at its prime beauty throughout the year.

How to reach Majuli from Delhi?

The only way to get to the island is by ferry from the banks of the river. From Delhi, you can find flights to Guwahati. Board train from Guwahati to Jorhat. From Jorhat, the island is just 20 km away. New water transportations have been inaugurated on the Brahmaputra River for easy access to the island (source).

5. Yumthang Valley

Are you looking for an offbeat honeymoon destination? This is the perfect picturesque and a romantic destination. This is also called as the ‘bowl of flowers’. Visit Zero Point, Pauhunri, Shundu Tsenpa and other serene destinations to enjoy a peaceful time.

Yumthang Valley

Right time to visit Yumthang Valley

If you are looking for a snow-filled vacation, you need to stick with the end of the year. The region is called as the ‘bowl of flower’ and if you want to spot those flowers, it is better to stick with summer and spring. Best time to visit this valley is from March to June.

How to reach Yumthang Valley from Delhi?

From Delhi, fly to Bagdogra and take road transportation to reach Yumthang Valley. It would take 8 – 9 hours to reach the valley from Gangtok and it is better to reach Lachung before sunset and start from there to the valley after sunrise. The drive up to the valley will be gorgeous.

6. Gurez Valley

The valley is quite beautiful with the breathtaking backdrops, surreal landscapes and most importantly, the mesmerizing freshness of nature. You ought to visit the river of this valley to enjoy a picnic and water activities. Live closer to the locals to enjoy the culture of the land. Visit the hamlets early in the morning, trek through deodar forest or enjoy a riverbank picnic to feel closer to the nature.

Gurez Valley

Right time to visit Gurez Valley

From May to September, the temperature will be pleasing and the land will be lush with thick grasses, wild fragrant flowers and flowing river.

How to reach Gurez Valley from Delhi?

Fly to Srinagar from Delhi. From Srinagar (150 km away from valley), it would take a couple of hours to reach the valley via road transportation.

7. Haflong

This is a small hill town located in Assam. This town is home to more than two lakh species of flowering plants. Thus, you are in for a colorful vacation here. The town gets its name from the Haflong Lake, which is located inside the town. You can find many adventure activities in this town like trekking, hiking, mountaineering, gliding and much more.

Haflong Lake

Right time to visit Haflong

Best time to visit is during summer and spring to spot as many flowers as possible. Visit between May and September to enjoy a colorful vacation.

How to reach Haflong from Delhi?

The nearest airport to the town is located in Shillong, which is 252 km away. Either you can choose to reach Haflong from Shillong via car or bus or, you can choose rail route up to Lunding Junction and then travel for 60 km on road to reach the hill.

8. Daringbadi

Do you know that Daringbadi is also called as the Kashmir of Odisha? This hill station is quite deserted, as tourists are not aware of this paradise. This hill region is filled with coffee gardens, pine forests, lush valleys and fragrance-filled wild flowers and most importantly the mild snow. You can enjoy a most beautiful and romantic vacation in this region.

Daringbadi

Right time to visit Daringbadi

This hill region is at prime beauty throughout the year. If you are looking for a little snow, choose to visit between November and January.

How to reach Daringbadi from Delhi?

From Delhi, you can find frequent flights to Bhubaneswar, which is around 290 km away from Daringbadi. You can also choose to stick with train to reach Berhampur, which is 125 km away from the hill station. The remaining distance should be covered via road transportation.

9. Sandakphu

It is hard to imagine that a destination in the romantic capital, Darjeeling is offbeat. Well, the main reason for this is that location of this paradise. To reach this destination, you need to travel for a few hours from Darjeeling. This is the land for water sports like rafting and others. Apart from this, you can find all interesting cliché activities of hill stations

Sandakphu

Right time to visit Sandakphu

Although people consider it as a summer destination, the land is at its prime beauty, throughout the year.

How to reach Sandakphu from Delhi?

The nearest airport and railway station is located in Siliguri, which is 96 km away from Darjeeling. Once your reach Darjeeling, find accommodations there and start your trip to Sandakphu. You can either trek for 12 hours or take a ride in land rover or jeep to reach this hill region.

10. Ponmudi

This hill station of Kerala has the beauty of Western Ghats in it. These amazing ranges have the charm of an iconic hill station with all cliché activities. In addition, you get to explore the exotic spice plantations here and there. Trek to the mountain to spot mountain flowers, wild butterflies, small springs and much more. This place is famous for authentic Ayurveda treatments if you are visiting during winter.

Ponmudi

Right time to visit Ponmudi

Throughout the year

How to reach Ponmudi from Delhi?

From Delhi, fly to Thiruvananthapuram. If you are flying from an international destination, you can choose to fly directly to Thiruvananthapuram international airport. From the airport, you can find rail and road routes, which will lead you to this hill station.

11. Orchha

Once a peak tourist and trade spot of the ancient India, Orchha of Madhya Pradesh is forgotten today. Proud as the former crown city of Rajput, this is the land of historic structures of adventure activities. Located along the River Betwa, Orchha has a lush vegetation and a serene climate. The place has numerous memorials, palaces, forts, temples and other architectural monuments left by ancient kings. You can spend a slow-paced vacation in this historic pilgrimage site. If you love photography, try to visit during the early monsoon season.

Orchha

Right time to visit Orchha

October to March would give a pleasing climate to Orchha and thus, sightseeing will be much easier.

How to reach Orchha from Delhi?

Orchha can be reached easily from any part of Madhya Pradesh. From Delhi, the nearest airport to Orchha is located in Gwalior. Fly to Gwalior and choose rail or road transportation to reach this historic town. On the other hand, choose train travel up to Jhansi and choose between bus and car to reach Orchha.

12. Halebidu

Located in Karnataka, this is one of the historic temple town cities for history lovers. This southern India gem is overlooked because of much-popular neighbors like Hampi, Aihole and others. This offbeat destination was the capital town of Hoysala Dynasty and today, the city holds numerous temples and ruins of Jain monuments and structures. From Halebidu, you can visit Belur and Shravanabelagola to have a complete historic vacation.

14. Shojha

Since Himachal Pradesh is filled with small and large hill station, this small hill station becomes invisible to tourists. This is a quiet destination, which stands in the middle of nature’s wilderness. Serenity is the main element of this destination. You can find old wooden temples, enjoy adventure activities like fishing, camping, trekking and others, and so on. This is the land for those who are to get off the grid and live with nature for a change.

Shojha

Right time to visit Shojha

April to June give a colorful look to this otherwise white hill station. It is possible to cover all adventure activities during this period.

How to reach Shojha from Delhi?

If you were choosing road transportation, it would take around 12 hours to reach this hill station from Delhi. Thus, people choose to ride in train up to Chandigarh from Delhi and then choose road transportation from Chandigarh to Shojha.

15. Mawlynnong

The entire East India is an offbeat destination. Among those, Mawlynnong is a beauty that you should not miss. Located in Meghalaya, this destination is the cleanest village of the continent. The village community helps you enjoy a cultural vacation during your stay. Starting from waterfalls to caves, you can find numerous natural wonders in this region. If you are looking for a backpacking vacation, this is the right place to visit India Tour packages .

Mawlynnong

Right time to visit Mawlynnong

The best time to visit this village is from March to June. The summer season is pleasing and lush with nature. Monsoon is the romantic time to visit the place. Rain starts in June and ends in September. During this season, you can spot many wild flowers and have a lively vacation. However, the heavy rain would restrict you within indoors for most part of the vacation.

How to reach Mawlynnong from Delhi?

From Delhi, you can fly to Guwahati and choose to travel via taxi, bus or train to reach the village. On the other hand, you can also find direct trains and cabs from Delhi to Mawlynnong village. Road travel would take 32 hours to reach the village from Delhi, and it is not recommended.

16. Ziro

Among the beautiful places of Arunachal Pradesh, Ziro is the most exciting and pleasing one. Ziro is famous for tourist trails, rich green meadows, quaint and quiet hill regions and the culture-rich Apatani tribe. If you are looking for a special time to rejuvenate yourself, this is the best place. Get closer with local and enjoy their culture for a colorful vacation.

Ziro

Right time to visit Ziro

This hill station is at prime beauty throughout the year.

How to reach Ziro from Delhi?

The nearest airport to Ziro is located in Lilabari. You can find flights from Delhi to Lilabari. From Lilabari, it would take three hours to reach Ziro. Tourists usually reach Guwahati and then choose road transportation to Ziro for faster transit.

17. Varkala

The entire state of Kerala is a prime tourism spot. However, some sites are generally overlooked by most of the tourists and the best example is Varkala. Along the shores of Arabian Sea, this beach destination is famous for shrines, hills, lighthouses and of course, the beach. You can find people performing holy rituals on one hand and on the other side; you can enjoy all exotic adventure activities like parasailing, paragliding and others. This is the destination for all kinds of people and on the brighter side;you will not be choked by huge crowd during tourism season.

18. Champaner

Gujarat is the state with the most numerous of hidden destinations. Even the luxury train has consolidated these offbeat destinations of Gujarat to create an itinerary. Located in Pavagadh, this heritage site is a historic beauty. You can enjoy a vintage styled vacation here. Visit the archeological park to spot structures of 8th century. Apart from this, you can find many ancient buildings, fortress, mosques, pilgrimage sites and much more. Are you planning to cover Gujarat with a luxury theme? Choose Deccan Odyssey’s Hidden Treasures of Gujarat.

Right time to visit Champaner

Best time to visit this spiritual destination is during winter season, which starts in October and ends in March.

How to reach Champaner from Delhi?

From Delhi, you can easily find flights to Vadodara or Ahmedabad. From Vadodara, the destination is just 42 km away and from Ahmedabad, Champaner is around 125 km away. You can find frequent buses and cars from these destinations to Champaner, throughout the year.

19. Patan

This is another hidden gem of Gujarat. This heritage site dates back to 745 AD and you can find many interesting structures of yesteryear. The best of all is the Rani ki Vav, the gigantic monumental step-well. You can find many grand architectural examples. In addition, this is the right place to buy textiles as souvenirs. The best of all is the Patola saree.

Patan

Right time to visit Patan

Winter gives the pleasing climate, which allows you to cover all the important destinations of this medieval region. Visit between October and March.

How to reach Patan from Delhi?

From Delhi, you can easily find flights to Ahmedabad, which is 125 km away from Patan. Or, you can choose to reach Patan from Delhi, via direct train.

20. Mandu

Madhya Pradesh as a whole is an exotic destination, which is not usually covered. Among the numerous offbeat destinations in Madhya Pradesh, Mandu is quite a remarkable one. This small town is a love destination, with a century-old love story, which prevails in the region. You can find many Islamic architectural structures like Hindola Mahal, Mandu fort, Jami masjid, Jahazmahal, Rewakund, Bahadur palace and others. Apart from these, you can enjoy a relaxing vacation in this town. Are you looking for more destinations to cover in Madhya Pradesh?

Right time to visit Mandu

Choose to stick with the winter season, which starts in October and ends in March.

How to reach Mandu from Delhi?

From Delhi, reach Indore via flight. From Indore, you can find numerous transportation options to reach Mandu. If you are choosing train travel, reach Ratlam and from Ratlam, choose road transportation to reach Mandu.